Detecting Sharpening Needs in Knives: 5 Simple Ways

Preparation work is made more difficult and risky when blades are used that are dull. Unfortunately, there is no predetermined time frame that tells us how frequently to sharpen these reliable instruments, but there are a few warning signals that will keep you informed. Not sure if it's necessary to sharpen your knife yet? Try one of these five exercises to find out.

The blade seems to be dull.

Even so, you should be very careful to get used to how the knife feels. Touch the blade's edge gently with your fingertips. With a blade that has a well-defined edge, sharp knives just have a keen feeling. But your knife will benefit from being sharpened if the edge feels rounded or dull.

It can't cut paper since it isn't sharp enough.

You may quickly and easily determine whether your knife needs sharpening by using a piece of paper (regular white paper or even a magazine page would serve). With one hand, hold the paper erect while using the other to hold the knife at the top edge and cut downward. The paper may be neatly divided in half with a sharp knife. If your knife tears the paper unevenly or slips off the edge, it needs to be sharpened.

It breaks tomato cans.

How thinly did your knife cut the tomatoes? This fragile fruit may be easily cut with sharp knives and with little downward pressure. The blade of your knife needs to be sharpened if it presses down on the tomato or if it snags on the skin.

An onion falls off.

Yet uncertain? Take an onion and test your knife. The layers of skin and muscle may be easily cut through with a sharp knife. It's a clear indicator that the blade needs sharpening if your knife slides or slips off the slippery peel of this vegetable.

The arm-hair test is not passed by it.

This recipe is a little unusual, but it was a favorite of some of my chef professors in culinary school. Shave the hair on your arm by moving the knife slightly above your forearm. If the hairs fold over as the knife touches them, the knife needs to be sharpened. A properly sharpened knife will cut through hair without any resistance.

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